Mechanical testing of tiny devices.(Tech Spotlight)

Very few analytical instruments are available for measuring the mechanical properties of micron-sized systems. Furthermore, MEMS devices and new materials have demonstrated the need for two types of mechanical testers. The first is most suitable for engineering materials such as ceramics, composites, metals, and polymers. A sample with length dimensions in tens of millimeters is clamped into a palm sized tester, where it is pulled, pushed, or bent. This type of tester is capable of generating up to 5 kN of force and 50 mm displacement. It also records force-deflection data to ...